Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal
Chapter 45: Descent
A couple of hours earlier before the attack, and half an hour after Zeke and Lazarus's sparring match, Michael and Lazarus were hanging out within the town centre of Shiganshina. Zeke and the Cart Titan had gone off to capture Eldian refugees to turn into the Titans that'll aid them in their upcoming battle. Reiner and Bertolt were still resting atop the wall chatting amongst themselves.
Michael had decided to show Lazarus what remains of the house he used to live in with his caretakers whenever he visited Shiganshina. It was the same as when he left it the day Wall Maria fell. Completely smashed by a huge chunk of the wall Bertolt kicked out.
Looking back on it, Lazarus started feeling ashamed of his actions. Breaking through the walls was his idea. He knew what the consequences would be, yet he went through with it anyway. If he knew then what he knew now he never would've gone through with it. If he could go back and change it all, he would in a heartbeat.
"This was where I used to stay when Dad left me here." He points over to the fountain he used to sit at the day the Colossal Titan first appeared. "I was sitting right there when I first saw the Colossal Titan."
He then turns back to Lazarus with a look of contempt. "I sat there when I first saw the Winged Titan flying over our heads, looking down on us."
Lazarus sorrowfully sighs. "I know you've already forgiven me, and the others, for what we've done. But I still can't help but believe I'm unworthy of forgiveness. What we did. What I did. It shouldn't be something you, or anyone, should get over so easily."
"Lazarus-
"Please let me finish." He cut him off before continuing. "I want things to be better. I wanted to be a hero, all so I could be respected instead of feared. But now I realise that I don't need everyone to respect or like me. Those I already cherish like you, Annie, Reiner, Bertolt, Zeke, and the others. That's more than enough for me."
Michael couldn't help but let a little chuckle slip out. "What I was going to say was- Well, you've actually summed it up for me. There's an old saying. You can forgive, but you must never forget. Everyone we've come to know and love here is coming to kill us. They'll probably never understand our perspective of the world. But you don't need them to. Because if I still see you as my friend, then how bad can you be?"
"That sounds really cheesy," Lazarus responded with a snarky remark.
"Yeah, it was. Hahaha."
The two of them shared a moment of laughter as they went to sit down at the fountain with a direct view of the outer gate. They continued to chat amongst themselves, often changing the topics of discussion. From taking trips down memory lane to conversing on what their plans should be once their ultimate goal is completed.
At some point, Zeke and the Cart Titan return from their long scouting mission with barrels full of paralysed Eldians already infected with a gas variant of his spinal fluid. Zeke climbs off of Pieck and orders her to scout out the lands within Wall Maria and keep an eye out for the Survey Corps. After that's done, he approaches Lazarus and Michael who are still chatting by the fountain.
"…You're kidding me?" Michael responded unbelievably.
"No, it's true."
"Don't tell me this is yet another one of your many, MANY, powers." He asked worriedly.
"No. This is something all Titan Shifters can do. Even you. It can be difficult and frustrating to harness at first, but once you get the hang of it, it'll end up saving your life." He thoroughly explained.
"What are you two talking about?" Zeke asked as he closed in on the two Warriors.
"I was just explaining to Michael the Titan Shifters' ability to transfer their consciousness throughout their nervous system to escape death. He thinks I'm making it up."
"Oh, it's true alright." Zeke clarified as he turned to Michael. "How it works is simple. You just focus your consciousness out of your brain, and have it move through your nervous system to survive a shot to the head, getting decapitated, or if your head explodes. As long as your consciousness is intact, your connection to the paths, and your hold on life, will not be severed."
"Wow! The power of the Titans never ceases to amaze me." Michael woefully stated. "But how does one master a technique like that in such a short amount of time?"
"You can't." Zeke bluntly replied. "But I can share the knowledge on how to do it with you via physical contact."
Michael nods in response, agreeing to Zeke's suggestion.
"Hold on a second". Michael turns to Lazarus upon realising something that made no sense to him. "The others I get, but why would you ever need to use such a technique? You're immortal. You can come back no matter how you die. Right?"
"Yes, but it's not that simple."
"Nothing in this world ever is." Michael thought to himself.
"You know I can hear everything you're thinking, right?" Lazarus commented smugly.
"Uh, yeah, I remember that." Michael quickly responded without thinking. "… I didn't remember that." Lazarus gave him a "Are you sure about that?" Look. Michael just grunted in annoyance.
"As I was saying, my immortality is more complicated than one might think. For example, the only major life-threatening encounters with death I've had were when Marleyan soldiers gunned me down, cut off my head, fed me to a Pure Titan, and got burned alive. I always came back, but there was something different about it compared to the other times I've "died".
Zeke raises an eyebrow at Lazarus, intrigued by what he is about to share with Michael. Maybe it could prove useful to him in the future.
"The more severely damaged my body gets, the longer it takes for me to recover. My wounds may heal fast, but my mental state takes a major toll. If I were to let's say get blown up, or reduced to ashes, I'm not 100% sure if my body can fully regenerate. And even if it does, there's a slim chance that I might not be the same person I used to be… I don't like to think about it."
Lazarus's hands started shaking in response to this sudden revelation. He honestly has no idea what the extent of his immortality entails. What if there was no trace of his body left? What would happen to him then? Would he still be able to regenerate from only atoms? Or would he be well and truly dead? The possibilities were overwhelming him.
Michael notices his trembling and calms him down by placing his hand on his shoulder, reassuring him that what-if scenarios should not be his concern right now. He should instead focus on the present and plan for his solo mission to rescue Annie.
"Breathe, Laz. Don't think about it right now. Focus more on your goals first."
Lazarus takes a couple of deep breaths and closes his eyes, calming his nerves. Once that was done, Zeke instructed the two of them to accompany him to the top of the walls to discuss the final details of their mission to recover the Coordinate with Reiner and Bertolt.
As they were walking, Michael shared with him vital information that could prove to be a major obstruction in their plans. The biggest one is Levi Ackerman and his inhuman ODM skills.
"A single soldier might pose a threat to me?"
"Yes." Michael continued to explain. "Captain Levi is dangerous. Do not underestimate him. His ODM skills are far superior to Lazarus's. He was able to take my Titan down with no problem too. And I have no doubt he'll do the same for you and Laz's Titans."
"Sounds very unlikely. But I'll consider your warning. I appreciate you sharing this with me, Michael. I suppose you are one of us now… I would like to hear anything more on your "Father's" Survey Corp over a nice hot cup of coffee."
"Coffee? God that's something I've grown to miss since I came here." He joked whilst walking alongside the two Warriors up to the wall.
Now it's the present day. Hange's Squad were able to take down Michael and Reiner's Titans with ease, using their newly improved Thunder Spears. The cloud of smoke obscuring their vision of the traitors soon clears and reveals to them the results of their strategised attack.
Of the two of them, Reiner appeared to have suffered the most fatal of blows. His human body was exposed to the outside world, and the top half of his head was missing.
As for Michael. His human body was also exposed from his Titan's nape. Though his head was still intact, his body suffered severe damage. Both his arms have been blown off. His back has been opened up, exposing his spine and his damaged internal organs to the Scouts.
Both of them weren't moving, and their bodies were still in the process of healing. The Scouts took this as a sign of victory and let out a thunderous cheer. All except Sasha who was still on her hands and knees crying her eyes out.
"Yeah! We did it! We blew the bastards' heads off!" One of the soldiers cried out, taunting the fallen Warriors.
Hange, Mikasa, and Armin, however, didn't let their guard down. They know it's only a matter of time until they regenerate and attack again. So instead of standing around doing nothing, they gather more Thunder Spears for the next attack.
"Ha! We actually pulled it off." Jean idly commented, still in disbelief over the fact that they'd won. "You've been a serious pain in the ass for us. Serves you right, you scumbags! Too bad Lazarus ain't here to see this, haha."
Jean then notices Sasha still bawling to his left. Only now she was joined by Connie. He was more saddened by the fact that they had to kill two of their friends, still believing there's good in them.
Jean has had enough of their guilt trips. Frustrated, he grabs the two of them by their hoods and aggressively shakes them to snap them out of their trances.
"What the hell are you crying for?! Shut your mouth and get up! We still got more to do!"
"Bu- but… It's Michael and Reiner. The- they're our friends." Sasha attempted to speak as she bawled uncontrollably.
"Don't you dare cry for them! They would've done the same thing to us! They're traitors! And they deserve to die like one!" Jean yelled right in their ears.
"This isn't over!" Hange raised her voice, drawing everyone's attention back to her. "We'll hit them with another volley just to be sure."
The others nod in agreement and begin replenishing their Thunder Spears. But Armin decided to take a moment and look over their former comrades' mangled Titans. Mikasa placed her hand on his shoulder, asking him if he was alright.
Despite what the others might think, Armin couldn't help but feel bad for them. He glances over at the still heartbroken Sasha, remembering her attempt to reason with Michael and get him to negotiate. Deep down he knew it wasn't going to work. Their side had all the knowledge. They make them look just as ignorant as they are weak. They don't even have the ability to capture someone who can turn into a Titan on a whim. Which meant there was nothing they could do.
The Scouts were currently too busy reloading Thunder Spears that they failed to notice the Armoured Titan twitching its bottom jaw. Suddenly, it rocks its head as far back as it can to unleash a roar that startled the others who weren't prepared at all for it.
Michael's actual eyes snap wide open in response. He then instantly forms crystal prosthetic arms to replace the ones he lost. His Titan arms begin to move in unison with his crystal replicas, acting as if they were remotely copying his movements. He uses his Titan arms to smash down the set of houses the Scouts were standing on, forcing them to fall back on ODM gear. Most of the Thunder Spears they had stashed on that rooftop were destroyed by the falling debris. They all explode simultaneously near Reiner's location.
Michael quickly motions his Titan body to grab the Armoured Titan from behind and pull him backwards until he ends up landing on top of him. Luckily, he was able to retreat into the Crystal Titan's nape before getting squished in between it and the ground.
Eren was too distracted by the sudden roaring of the Armoured Titan to process the crystal cuffs forming on his arms and legs, pinning him down to the ground. The Scouts were blinded by the built-up smoke from the multiple Thunder Spear explosions.
"Hurry! Use the Thunder Spears we have left to finish them off! If we want them dead, we'll have to destroy their entire bodies!" Hange instructed.
The Scouts ready their Thunder Spears and waited for the smoke to clear first before charging in. But by the time it did, they were confused to find the Crystal Titan dragging the Armoured away from them.
"Huh? Where are they going?" Jean wondered.
Within his Titan's nape, Michael's actual body had just finished repairing itself. His eyes rolled back into place, indicating that he'd just transferred his consciousness back to his brain while his Titan body moved automatically.
"Eugh- That was a close one. Had I been any slower in transferring my consciousness to my Titan body, I would've died instantly. I take it back, this technique is hella useful… Zeke, I would've been dead without your help."
Through his Titan's eyes, he glances over at the remains of the building the Thunder Spears used to be, and then over to where the Scouts currently are.
"Those Thunder Spears caught us off guard. Only Hange could've come up with something like that. But I think I've destroyed most of them. But I can't overlook the possibility that they might have more. Now that I know what we're up against, I'll be ready for next time."
As he was dragging Reiner out of harm's way, he noticed a barrel flying over the wall towards Shiganshina. His eyes widen with shock realising what was about to happen next.
"Shit! Reiner must've signalled Zeke to throw Bertolt! I gotta get Reiner and myself to safety before he-
He comes to a sudden halt upon realising that Bertolt's transformation was a guarantee that Sasha and the others will all be caught up in the blast as well. And Eren was still pinned down by the cuffs he unconsciously placed on his limbs to prevent him from moving.
"Damnit! This is all going wrong! Bertolt was supposed to be a last resort! I didn't think Zeke would actually go through with it." He starts to tremble with fear once the barrel is getting closer to their location. He quickens his pace and makes a beeline for the closest tunnel entrance (The same one he climbed out of). But he was still a great distance from it, and Reiner was still in a comatose state."We're not gonna make it in time!"
Erwin clenches his fist in anger. The enemy was gaining the upper hand now. The moment Bertolt transforms the Scouts within Shiganshina are finished. And the worst part is, they still possess an even more powerful weapon that will 100% guarantee their defeat if Miche's squad has failed to stop Lazarus.
He spots the Crystal Titan struggling to carry the Armoured to safety in retaliation to the incoming strike. He turns back to the Beast Titan and furiously bares his teeth at it.
"The Beast Titan is willing to do whatever it takes to win this battle. Even sacrificing Michael and Reiner?! What a monster!" He thinks back to the Winged Titan and the way it was leading the other Shifters, comparing him to the ruthlessness of the Beast.
"Between him and Lazarus, he's the true leader. Lazarus, as ruthless as he can be, at least prioritises my son and his comrades' lives over their mission. But him. He's willing to let them get caught up in the blast if it means killing us all…Damn him!"
Hange and the others quickly dash for cover, attempting to avoid the Colossal Titan's explosive entrance. After several attempts to break free of his bonds, Eren was finally able to escape by hardening his left kneecap and breaking the chain connecting his wrists with it. He then repeats the process with a hardened punch to the chain connecting his ankles.
Instead of going after Michael and Reiner, as previously intended, he decided to prioritise the lives of his friends first and make sure they got to safety. But it was pointless. Even at the distance they're at now, they'll get caught up in the blast. They all saw a fraction of the Colossal's blast when Lazarus kicked it off balance and sent it plummeting towards Eren during his first fight with Reiner. After witnessing the power of the Hellfire Force, Armin and Hange can estimate that the Colossal Titan's blast will be half as strong. But still powerful enough to take out most of Shiganshina.
Within the barrel, Bertolt raises his hand to his mouth, ready to transform and blow the whole district to hell. But he hesitates when he notices the Crystal Titan dragging the Armoured back to the underground tunnel entrance.
"Reiner! Michael! They're not out of range! If I transform now, they'll die!"
Bertolt holds off on his transformation and leaps out of the barrel as it is a few feet away from hitting the ground. He immediately flies over to Michael and Reiner using his ODM gear.
"MICHAEL! REINER!"
The Crystal Titan stops in its tracks and looks up at the approaching Bertolt who lands right atop the Armoured's left shoulder. He was shocked at the state Reiner's actual body was in. He places his head against his chest and sighs in relief the moment he hears a heartbeat.
"Thank God you're ok. You two must've transferred your consciousness throughout your entire nervous system. I remember talking about it, but to only use it as a last resort." He looks up at the Crystal Titan. "Michael, forget about the tunnels. You'll never get him there in time. And I can't hold out too long without the risk of getting killed. I need you to get Reiner as close to the wall as you can. Then lay him on his back and put up an impenetrable dome around yourself and him. Hopefully, that'll be enough to keep you guys safe."
The Crystal Titan scans the area for the closest corner of the wall which was a few feet away from his current location. He nods in agreement to Bertolt's plan.
"Good. In case it's not enough, I want you to know that it's been an honour. And I'll take responsibility for your loss… Hopefully, Lazarus can learn to forgive me." Bertolt calmly finished before blasting off on his ODM gear again. Once he was gone, Michael dashed to the corner of the wall, quickening his pace.
Bertolt moves as fast as he can towards the centre of the district. The one spot that would guarantee the highest percentage of annihilating every one of the Scouts. With Lazarus gone and Michael and Reiner incapacitated, it was down to him to end this war. Lazarus's final words before his departure played out in his mind as he was moving forward.
"Bertolt. I've told you this plenty. But you, Reiner, and Michael will be in completely separate positions. And I will be away for a while. So, I need you to start thinking for yourself for a change, ok? I need you to be as independent as the rest of us are. Can you do that?"
"…He's right. I'm a Warrior too! I can't be forced to rely on others and follow their lead anymore. They've all had their moments to shine and make a difference. Now it's my turn! We're ALLgoing home! And I won't let anyone stop us!" He thought to himself just as determined as his friends.
Armin and the rest of Levi's squad attempted to negotiate with Bertolt, telling him that they didn't have to fight. That they can just talk things over. Eren and some of the others saw this as a wasted effort. Sasha already tried reasoning with Michael earlier and that didn't work. What makes this any different?
And they were right to think so. Bertolt refused to talk it out and made it clear to them that all they wanted was Eren Yeager and the death of everyone in the walls. That's the harsh truth of their situation and nothing could change that. To him, all of their fates have been decided. And the one who decided that…was Bertolt himself.
Armin then utilised the same tactic he used on Lazarus. He had hoped that bringing up Annie and scaring them into believing that she was being tortured might lower his guard. But Bertolt saw right through his little ruse. There was once a time when he did harbour feelings for Annie, but he has long come to terms with the fact that she chose Lazarus over him.
He was no longer the shy, quiet, and naïve Bertolt Hoover they once knew in the Cadet Corps. He was more determined, focused, and resolved. He needed to be to help his fellow Warriors achieve victory in this war. He's aware that Armin was only keeping him distracted long enough for his comrades to surround and kill him before he could get the chance to transform. As well as finish killing Reiner and Michael. He could tell by the way Armin's hands were shaking. He was scared out of his mind.
"…If you knew that much, then why are you talking to me right now?" Armin questioned him.
Bertolt looks away for a moment and thinks back to his pitiful outburst when the others were guilt-tripping him about his actions. Back then he let his emotions overpower him and tried to rectify his, and the others, actions by telling them they still thought of them as friends. And deep down he still believed that, as did the others.
"Because I needed to know. If when I faced all of you this time I'd start crying and beg you to put me out of my misery again. But…" He raises his single blade at him. "It seems like I'm fine now. You'll always be my dear comrades, right up until I've killed you."
"But why?" Armin uttered sorrowfully. "Do you really believe we're the spawn of the devil?"
"No. Not anymore. None of you did anything wrong." Bertolt reassured him, even if it didn't come off that way to Armin. "We know now that we're wrong about you. Even so, you can't be permitted to live. That's just how it is. I'm sorry."
Mikasa manages to sneak up behind him and attempt to slice his neck. But Bertolt sensed her approach and blocked her strike with his blade, though she was able to slice off a big chunk of his right ear. He retaliates by kicking her in the torso, knocking her off the roof. He uses this window of opportunity to begin his ascension.
He catches a glimpse of Michael laying Reiner down on the ground by the corner of the wall. He quickly slams both his fists into the ground and conjures up a massive impenetrable dome of 18-inch-thick Titan crystal. He lets out a single sigh, satisfied to see them protected. Now was his time to strike.
"This sure is a peculiar feeling. I'm not scared at all for once. And I see everything clearly. I know that no matter what happens, I can accept how this ends. Yeah, no one's in the wrong here. There was nothing to be done."
Bertolt's ODM gear unleashes its gas at full blast, allowing him to rapidly climb higher and higher into the air. Once he gains enough distance, he triggers his transformation using the wound Mikasa inflicted on him earlier.
"We had no choice in all this. Because this world… is just that cruel."
The whole sky lights up a bright orange as Bertolt transforms. It was five times bigger and brighter than any of the other Warriors' transformation sequences, which was fitting for the largest Titan power of them all. It was so bright that Erwin, Levi, and the other squads stationed within Wall Maria were blinded by it.
What quickly followed was a gigantic explosion of energy that erupted like a nuclear bomb detonating. The shockwave alone was powerful enough to obliterate all the surrounding buildings closer to the blast radius. After that came a huge burst of heat that rose into the atmosphere, creating a colossal-sized mushroom cloud.
Eren's Titan grabs hold of his friends and shields them from the blast by hiding behind a building. Hange and the rest of her squad were in the area when the blast occurred. As much as they didn't want to believe it, they all most likely perished in the explosion.
The Crystal Titan stands in front of the still comatose Reiner. He continually hardens over the thick layers of crystal to keep it standing. It was a difficult process and must be done with precision. The slightest hiccup would lead to immediate death.
But for the most part, it would seem that he and Reiner were left unharmed. However, he was unsure if the same could be said for his friends/enemies.
"Sasha. Hange. Everyone. I hope at least some of you are ok."
The blast finally subsides, allowing Eren to come out of his hiding spot with the others still held tightly in his arms. They all look over each other, making sure that everyone is alive and well. Thankfully, no one within their party got hurt.
"Mikasa! Armin! You two ok?" Jean asked concerned for their wellbeing.
"Yeah, it missed us," Mikasa assured him and the others.
"Where's the rest of Hange's squad?"
Armin hesitated to answer that question at first and required a moment to process it all.
"…They were right underneath the blast zone."
They all tremble in response to the devastating news. Hange was their leader in this part of the mission. But now she's gone. They are all that's left of the second division now. Six soldiers and one Titan Shifter, against three already transformed enemy Warriors. The odds didn't look well in their favour.
Their hopes for victory only grew worse when they noticed the Colossal Titan slowly rising to a standing position. The entire area it transformed within had been reduced to burning rubble. Many of the houses that suffered less damage were on fire as a result of the extreme heat it was giving off.
To make matters worse, it was beginning its first attack. Using its long arms, it unearthed all the burning houses and started tossing them across the entire district as a safety measure to ensure there were no survivors of the first strike. Bertolt had his eyes set on the walls. If he were to reach it, the Scouts on the other side would be finished. He'll spread the fire to the houses outside the gate. The others would end up being caught between the Titans and the flames.
In order to save them, they needed to defeat Bertolt right now with the people they had here. Which was easier said than done.
Erwin continued to observe as the battle dramatically shifted in favour of the Warriors.
"This is very bad. At this rate, all of us will be destroyed."
He was currently unaware of the fact that Michael and Reiner were able to survive the blast by hiding inside a crystal dome. Until he manages to catch a glimpse of the dome right in the far left corner of the wall by the inner gate.
His mind and heart were arguing with one another, contemplating how he should feel right now. On one hand, Michael was alive. But so is Reiner. And once they've recovered enough, they'll regroup with Bertolt and finish off Eren and the others. Even with Thunder Spears, the odds of them defeating all three Titan Shifters were unlikely.
"Michael… As much as I've come to accept whose side you're on now, I refuse to believe you wanted this to happen." He slowly turns to the other side of the wall and glares at the Beast Titan who is still sitting on the ground with its legs crossed, scratching behind its left ear.
"I bet you're pleased with yourself. Your plans working so far. What will you do next?"
Erwin callously looks up at the sky and watches the clouds float by. For some reason, he was expecting the Winged Titan to be there. The fact that he hasn't yet must convince him that Miche and his squad have succeeded in apprehending him. Yet he still felt unconvinced. His gut tells him he'll be here soon. And when he does, the enemy will automatically win their final conflict. Right now, his best hope was the possibility that what remained of Hange's squad would find a way to defeat Reiner, Bertolt, and Michael, and stand together with him and the others as a united front against Lazarus should he return sooner than expected.
"Miche. I hope you and your squad are having better luck than we are right now. As bad as it looks now, Lazarus's involvement will make things worse."
To Be Continued